Featured TV on DVD Review: Drunk History: Season 3

I featured Drunk History on a Holiday Gift Guide and I stand by that recommendation. It's got a really simple set-up and a better than expected execution. On the other hand, I was worried that it's high concept meant a really short shelf life. Would I grow tired of the show after just three seasons? Or is it still entertaining?

The Show

Drunk History is a hard TV show to review. It is also really easy to review. I know that sounds contradictory, but hear me out. Each episode of Drunk History has three storytellers telling interesting historical stories on a theme. Usually this theme is the city the location travels to, like Miami or Cleveland, but sometimes it is an occupation, like spy or astronaut. Meanwhile actors act out what's happening while lip-syncing to what the historian is saying. ... also, the historians are really drunk. At this point, 90% of the target audience for this show has stopped reading this review and pre-ordered the DVD. (If you are among that group, grab the first DVD as well.) However, it is hard to review, because each segment is only about six minutes long. It would take longer to write a description for each segment than it would to watch the segment.

There are some definite highlights for the season. This includes Jenny Slate's story about the discovery of Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation. (It took me three tries to get that right and I'm not even a little drunk.) Maya Rudolph plays the Godmother of Cocaine. The entire episode on Spies is golden. I don't even know which of the three guest stars (Octavia Spencer, Alia Shawkat and Will Ferrell) were the best that episode.

Disc two starts with Journalism and it is another strong episode with several great guest stars, like Ellie Kemper and Natasha Leggero. Jen Kirkman is also one of the more entertaining storytellers. ('I'm hot. Lets jump in the pool.') Jack Black and Kyle Gass show up to act out the founding of Los Angeles. Patton Oswalt is in the story about the Rosewell UFO crash. Thank goodness they actually tell the truth and talk about Project Mogul. In the Inventors episode, Paget Brewster was the only one who didn't have to talk about a horrible person. The final episode is about Space, so of course Nathan Fillion is a guest star.

While this show is usually very entertaining, there are some elements that don't work as well. While many storytellers get energetic when they get drunk, some get tired and slur their words. That's not nearly as entertaining. It's worse when they start getting nauseous. I don't need to watch that.

The Extras

There are extra bits for ten of the thirteen episodes. These include little asides that didn't make the cut, extended bits, deleted scenes, etc. I wish there was a play all button.

The Verdict

Drunk History: Season 3 is definitely worth picking up, if you like the concept. There will be more than a few people out there who just don't get the appeal and that's understandable. The DVD is worth picking up.